Chatham County working to hire police chief, buy equipment for new police department

Chatham County working to hire police chief, buy equipment for new police department

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 7:37 PM EDT Sep 21, 2017

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT RTMENT. THIS.IN THE WAKE OF THE DISSOLVED SCMPD MERGER AGREEMENT W-J-C-L'S TORI SIMKOVIC IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY BUILDING ON LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WILL BECOME THE CHATHAM COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT.3:18-:30IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS CHATHAM COUNTY WILL HAVE ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTNDTHE DEPARTMENT, COSTING MORE THAN 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS.WE KNOW THAT EARLY IN THE PROCESWE'RE GOING TO NEED VEHICLE FOR THE ASSISTANT CHIEF, THE CHIEF, AND SOME OF THE COMMAND STAFF MADISSOLVE UNTIL FEBRUARY FIRST, THEY'LL SOON BEGIN OPERATING OUT OFHE COUNTY OWNED PRECINCTS- FIRST THE WHITEFIELD AVENUECOUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE FEB 1ST.WE HAVE TO TRAIN THERE WILL PROBABLY BE 45-60 DAYSOF TRAINING, GETTING TO KNOW YOUR BEATS, GETTING TO KNOW BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THEY HAVE TO HIRE 130 TO 150 PEOPLE THAT INCLUDES ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, PATROLS AND COMMETING WHERE THEY'LL BE VOTING ON THE PURCHASE OF THOSE 20 CARS STARTS AT 9:30 TOMORROW.WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU THE LATEST ON THE CHATHAM COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT AS IT DEVELOPS.BACK TO YOU3TORI HOW SAYS AT THIS POINT, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL COST MORE THAN THE 14 MILLION ANNUALLY THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTED TO SCMPD.PLUS, HE AN

Chatham County working to hire police chief, buy equipment for new police department

Related Content

Then the city and the county formed transition teams to help ease the process of creating two separate departments.

The county's transition team has been meeting each week, working to lay the foundation for the new Chatham County Police Department.

A recruitment firm in Atlanta is currently interviewing candidates for police chief.

On Friday, County Commission will vote on a purchase of 20 Ford Explorers for the department, costing $538,500.

"We know that early in the process we’re going to need vehicles for the assistant chief, the chief, and some of the command staff that are going to come on pretty early, and I’m looking at October, November," said Chatham County Manager Lee Smith.

Smith said it will be an incremental process. Even though the merger does not dissolve until February 1, 2018, the County Police Department will soon be operating out of county-owned precincts: first the Whitefield Avenue Precinct, then the Islands Precinct, then the West Chatham Precinct.

"You will start seeing the Chatham County Police Department before Feb. 1. We have to train. There will probably be 45-60 days of training, getting to know your beats, getting to know businesses in the area," Smith said.

For that to happen, they have to hire 130 to 150 people, including administrative personnel, patrols and command staff. They also have to buy all the department's equipment.

"From now until next February, about every meeting you’re going to see purchases because we have priced guns, tasers, radios. Some of that stuff has already been ordered," Smith said.

Smith estimates creating the department will cost about $14 million, the same amount the county has contributed annually to SCMPD.

He also anticipates the county will form regional units with nearby departments, like SWAT teams and bomb squads, that will help the Chatham County Police Department save money long term.